City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, GA are 3.9% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $103,900 in Columbus, GA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $939 a month in Columbus, GA versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Columbus, GA and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Brownsville, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Brownsville, TX to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,863 in Columbus | $96,281 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Columbus, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
57 Fair offer
Columbus, GA → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
81 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Brownsville, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Columbus, GA | Real change, Brownsville → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $97,210 | $102,240 | $98,438 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $116,150 | $111,830 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $73,640 | $70,901 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $82,500 | $79,432 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.